Comedones

Comedones, also called blackheads, are a symptom of some skin diseases, they can also appear in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and in endocrine disorders .

Sebum, dirt and sloughed epidermal cells clog the pores, resulting in the formation of blackheads on the surface of the skin.

What are the causes?

The main cause is an accumulation of sebum in the hair follicle, which is clogged with a plug of mostly dead skin cells and dust particles.

This means that the secretion of the sebaceous glands is not able to evacuate on its own from the follicle and gradually accumulates in it.

Toxins that need to be removed through the skin pores interact with sebum, resulting in a thick sticky mass.

Outwardly, the comedone becomes noticeable when the fatty secretion mixed with toxins and bacteria partially exits through the fine opening of the follicle and under the influence of oxygen acquires a dark hue.

The immediate cause of the appearance of blackheads is improper maintenance of the skin of the face and body.

Using fat-based cosmetics and make-up and the habit of going to bed before they are cleaned, leads to the accumulation of dead cells, hardened sebaceous secretion, dust, bacteria on the facial skin and salt crystals from the separation.

If the skin of the face is prone to oiliness, one or more of the factors mentioned above are sufficient for the formation of blackheads.

Genetic predisposition has also been suggested as a potential cause, as women whose relatives have had or have blackheads have a higher incidence rate.

Increased levels of testosterone, especially in acne-prone people, stimulate the activity of the sebaceous glands, in addition, the epithelial cells covering the opening of the hair follicle do not shed in a timely manner, causing the hair canal to narrow at the beginning, and subsequently it completely closes and comedones are formed.

In rare cases, as a side effect of the use of certain medications, black dots may appear, but after the medication is stopped, they disappear on their own.

In stressful situations, the composition of the sebum also changes, because under stress, people usually pay less attention to hygiene and facial care, which indirectly causes the formation of blackheads.

After the recovery of the usual way of life and when taking proper care of the skin, the comedones that appeared for this reason disappear on their own.

A humid climate and air pollution contribute to the accumulation of microparticles of dirt on the skin and stimulate the formation of blackheads.

Treatment of comedones

Treatment should be complex, it is necessary to carry out therapy and, if necessary, to correct the cause of the disease.

Cosmetic procedures to normalize the secretion of sebum and remove dead cells help to improve the condition of the skin.

It is necessary to pay more attention to personal hygiene. Face washing should be done with detergents no more than twice a day. As little as possible, the hands should touch the skin of the face and not allow the hair to stay over the face for a long time.

Peeling with fruit acids and microdermabrasion remove the upper dead layer of cells. After that, it is recommended to apply on the face cosmetic medicinal preparations having anti-comedogenic properties.

Inflamed areas are wiped with salicylic solution.